Tire-chain tightener.



G. E., WIGHTMAN.

TIRE CHAIN TIGHTENEH.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.6. 191s.

1204,59 1 9. Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

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GEORGE ERNEST WIGHTMAN, 0F PORTLAND, OREGON.

TIRE-CHAIN TIGHTEN To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .GEORGE E. WIGHT- MAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Portland, in the county of Multnomah and Stateof'Oregon, have invented a new and Improved Tire-Chain Tightener, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention has for its object to provide a tire chain tightener whichmay be used to pull ends of a chain in the direction of each other andhold them while they are secured together by a link.

The tire chain tightener is constructed with a tackle, to one block ofwhich a hook is pivoted which has a shoulder for normally engaging thestrap forming a part of the tackle to press it against a member of theblock and thereby secure the strap against movement through the block.The other block is provided with a hook which may be disposed in one ofa number of openings in the tackle strap to hold the blocks relativelyto each other while the link is secured to the ends of the chain.

Another object of the invention is to provide one of the blocks withresilient means for holding its hook yieldingly inwardly.

Additional objects of the invention will appear in the followingspecification in which the preferred form of my invention is disclosed.

In the drawings similar reference characters refer to similar parts, inall the views in which Figure 1 is a View showing a fragment of a wheelprovided with a chain, to the ends of which my tightener is secured fordrawing the ends together so that they may be connected together by alink; Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing my tightener in elevation; Fig.3 is a view partially in section illustrating the construction of one ofthe blocks; Fig. 4 is a view partially in section illustrating theconstruction of the other block; Fig. 5 is an end view of Fig. 4; andFig. 6 is a perspective view showing a modified form of the block to beused with my tightener.

By referring to the drawings it will be seen that my tire chaintightener is constructed in the form of a tackle having a block 10 andanother block 11, these blocks being connected by a belt 12. The block10 has two side plates 13 which are secured to- Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed August 6, 1915.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916. Serial No. 43,960.

or rivets 14, 15- and 16, a roller 17 being mounted on the rivet or bolt15. Pivoted to the rivet or bolt 16 there is a central member 18 andside members 19, the side members 19 being bent inwardly at 20 so thattheir upper ends engage the central member 18, the two members 19 andthe central member 18 having cutaway portions or being bent over to formhooks 21 which are illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The belt orstrap 12 is secured to the'bolt 14, this belt or strap 12 passing underthe roller 22 which is mounted on the rivet or bolt 23 connecting theside plates 24 of the lower block 11, the belt or strap 12 then passingup over the roller 17.

By referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be seen that the members19 and 18 which are provided with the hooks 21, have shoulders 25 whichnormally seat against the belt or strap 12 at the roller 17 so that whenthe members 18 and 19 which are provided with the hooks 21 are in normalposition, the shoulders 25 will press the belt or strap 12 against theroller 17 to prevent the movement of the belt or strap 12 relatively tothe blocks 10 and 11. WVhen the hooks 21 are secured to a link 26 at oneend of the chain 27, and the hooks 28 with which the block 1,1 isprovided, are secured to the link 29 of the said chain 27, the links 26and 29 may be drawn together by pulling on the fall 30 and that when thefall 30 is pulled, it will serve to draw the block 10 outwardly, therebymoving the block relatively to the hooks 21 so that the roller 17 willbe spaced from the shoulders 25. However, when the fall 30 is no longerpulled outwardly and the fall is moved to a position substantiallyparallel with the 0th r parts of the tackle, the roller 19 will againmove to normal position where the shoulders 25 will press against thebelt or strap 12. As an additional means of securing the fall 30 whilethe links 26 and 29 are connected by another link, I provide a crossmember 31 on the block 11 with a pin 32 which may be inserted in one ofthe openings 33 in the belt or strap 12.

In Fig. 6 I illustrate a resilient block which may be used in place ofthe block 11, this resilient block having a plate 34 with an opening 35in which a shank 36 on a hook 37 is disposed, this shank 36 beingsecured to the guide plate 38 which has'guide openings 39 in which aredisposed guide gether by the bolts plate 34:. A spring 41 is disposedaround a the shank36 for holding the plate 38 yieldingly upward and awayfrom the plate 34. The terminals of the guide bars -10 are provided withbearings 42 in which are journale'd the ends &3 of a roller 4A, whichserves the same purpose as the roller 22 on the block 11. Projectingfrom the plate 34L there is a pin 32 which may be inserted in one of theorifices 33 in the belt or strap 12. A handle 45 is secured to the endof the fall 30.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In a tire chain tightener, a tackle havinga blockwith a member around which a strap is normally disposed, a hook pivotedto the block, the fulcrum of the hook and the said member of the blockbeing disposed one in the rear of the other, and a shoulder extendingfrom the hook for pressing against the said member, of the block for thepurpose specified.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for 2. In a tire chain tightener,a tackle having a block with a roller and a strap passing around theroller and a'hook pivoted to the block in front of the roller and havinga shoulder which normally rests on the strap at the roller.

3. In a tire chain tightener, a tackle having two blocks, one of theblocks having a member around which a strap is normally disposed, astrap with an orifice disposed around the said member, a hook pivoted tothe last mentioned block, the fulcrum of the hook and the said memberbeing disposed onein the rear of the other, a shoulder on the hook forpressing the strap against the said member, and a pin on the other blockadapted to be inserted in the orifice in the strap. 7

In testimony whereof I'have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of the two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE ERNEST WIGHTMAN. Witnesses:

IMO DE LAY, PETER M. Jorms.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of .Patents,.

Washington, D. G.

